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Iowa museum finds missing tortoise in elevator

The Associated Press

Updated:
04/04/2013 09:54:57 PM EDT

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In this undated photo provided by Katlyn R. Gerken, a staff member of the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa holds up an 18-pound African leopard tortoise named Cashew. KWWL-TV reports that officials at the museum and aquarium believe the tortoise was stolen, but that the thief quietly returned the animal.

DUBUQUE, Iowa—An 18-pound African leopard tortoise who went missing from an Iowa museum has been found alive in an elevator in the building.

KWWL-TV (http://bit.ly/Zb7sED) reports that officials at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium in Dubuque believe the tortoise named Cashew was stolen, but that the thief quietly returned the animal.

The museum says a visitor found Cashew on the elevator floor Thursday. She appears to be in good health.

The museum discovered Cashew was missing Tuesday from an exhibit with a 4-foot glass wall. Museum officials suspected she was taken as a prank or to sell.

Museum officials are reviewing surveillance video to try to figure out exactly what happened and find a possible suspect.

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